In Sickness and in Health
by Zeitlose Alters
Summary: Knock Out comes down with a bad cold, and Breakdown's too nice to not take care of him. Rating might go up for future BreakOut.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-hello! okay, I'm really sorry that i haven't posted anything in a while, but I've been really swamped with schoolwork and i play Magic: The Gathering so I've been busy with games an tournaments. anyways, enjoy the little BreakOut i have for you. Ill try and post new chapters as soon as i can so if u guys have any ideas feel free to send them in!**

Knock Out stood on the upper deck of the Nemesis behind Megatron. Starscream held a stance of impatient annoyance, with his arms crossed blatantly, to Knock Out's right. Breakdown stood casually, yet slightly bored, to Knock Out's left. The group was watching a mock dogfight between a few Seekers. The icy mid-December winds whipped through the air and, coupled with the altitude, it felt like at least twenty below.

A strong gust blew from behind the group and-while it didn't seem to affect the other three mechs-Knock Out (who was already freezing) shivered and hugged his arms to his chestplate. Out if the corner of his optic he saw Breakdown glance over at him and he knew that the blue mech was growing worried for him. Knock Out didn't blame him either.

"Though it is far from the Pits of Khaon, does it not remind you of the olden days?" the warlord commented as one of the Seekers was shot out of the air and disappeared into the clouds below.

A look of part shock, part disbelief, and part irritability crossed Knock Out and he hoped that he didn't have to go searching for the remains later. He looked over at Starscream who was rolling his optics at the current waste of soldiers for entertainment. But since he wasn't arguing there was no need to press the matter.

Another breeze blew by and again it had no effect on any of the larger mechs, except for Starscream whose wings merely twitched. But Knock Out had had enough and all though he didn't mean for it, a small sneeze came from the smaller mech. The other three turned their attention to Knock Out.

"My apologies, Lo-"

"If you are truly buffeted by the weather, then you may return to the ship," Megatron growled.

"Yes, my lord," Knock Out murmured quietly and turned to walk back inside; shivering slightly as he walked.

Breakdown turned and followed after him. Once they were behind the door and back in the warmth of the ship, he stood in front of Knock Out.

"Hey, doc, whats wrong? You okay?" his tone was soft and caring. A rare side of him that only Knock Out saw.

"I'm perfectly fine," even though he felt like utter scrap and let out another sneeze to show it. He wasn't fine and he knew it.

Knock Out side-stepped the blue mech and speed walked for the sanctuary of his medbay, keeping his helm down...Breakdown followed of course but never fully caught up to him.

About halfway there, Breakdown slowed his pace and let the red mech go on ahead. He knew that Knock Out wasn't fine just by standing next to him and walking behind him because it wasn't hard for the larger mech to hear the periodic sniffles. The medic's usual upbeat walk was now replaced with the sluggish dragging of his pedes.

But Breakdown kept walking and rounded the corner in time to see the door to Knock Out's quarters (a small wing off the medbay) slide shut behind him. He walked in after the doctor and found him thumbing through a medicine cabinet. Knock Out looked up when he heard the door.

"What was that all about?" Breakdown asked as he walked over to Knock Out.

"Nothing. I was just feeling...a little under the weather."

"A little?" Breakdown put a hand on Knock Out's faceplate and frowned when he was met with the building heat.

The smaller mech brushed the other's hand off and smiled sheepishly. It didn't last long as he gave into a few wracking coughs that left his vents rattling with a noise that resembled a handful of pebbles being kicked around in a can. He looked up at Breakdown-almost embarrassed at his current condition. Knock Out's usually bright red optics were a hazy, dull, brown.

Breakdown sighed, "come on. Lets get you into berth."


	2. Chapter 2

The past three days had been a complete and total bore. Knock Out hadn't left his berth once (even though he desperately wanted to). Breakdown would probably restrain him to it if he tried anyways. Knock Out gave his partner credit for being so caring, but he was also a little overbearing at times. Still...it was nice to be doted on 24/7.

So there he sat holding a data pad and browsing through the humans so-called "Internet". There was always the occasional laugh at the over-dramatized lives of the Kardashians' on Facebook. It pinged and a message popped up in the middle of the screen: _Race on Canyon Hill Road-1 hour_.

Knock. Out sighed, "oh, for scrap's sake...that's the third one I've missed this week!"

His anger didn't last long as his vents rattled the way they had before and he lost himself in a short coughing fit. It only lasted for a minute or so though. When it did end, Knock Out set the data pad on the shelf by the berth and laid down for a quick nap (however at this stage he doubted a pleasant recharge was possible).

~~One Hour Later~~

A loud banging woke Knock Out. He groaned lazily as his optics opened slowly. His processor was pounding painfully and he rubbed the heel of his servo on his temples in hopes of massaging it away-but it didn't help. Knock Out steadily rose to his pedes and trudged to the door that led from his quarters out to the medbay. The closer he got to the door, the louder the banging got and it slowly harmonized with the banging of his processor. He pushed a button on the control panel and the door slid open.

He almost bumped into Starscream who was standing in front of the door with his hands on his hips and his pedes tapping impatiently. A multitude of scratches, nicks, and small cuts littered his plating. Energon was trickling down his chin from a cut on his lip.

"About time you got up. I've been pounding on your door for a good ten minutes," the seeker eyed Knock Out up and down, "Primus, you look like scrap."

Knock Out brushed past him, "don't think I feel any better. What happened to you? Go a few rounds with Megatron?" his voice was scratchy and it hurt a little to talk.

Starscream nodded and plopped down on the medical table. Knock Out through him a towel which the seeker used to wipe Energon off his chin. He curled his lip into his mouth and held his helm in his hands. The medic pulled a small welder down form the ceiling and proceeded to weld all the little cuts closed. Knock Out moved to inspect Starscream's back and noticed that one of his wings was pulled out a little where it was supposed to meet the seeker's back.

"Okay, this might hurt a bit," Knock Out steadied one hand on the seekers back and and another on his wing.

"Wait...what do you-OW! FOR THE LOVE OF PRIMUS, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE?!"

Knock Out walked around to the front and just barely dodged a punch to the face.

"What? You just want to fly around with a dislocated wing? I can pull it back out for you if you want!"

Starscream swallowed the urge to run a nice, big, scratch down the medic's paint and just walked out of the medbay. Breakdown walked in as Starscream was exiting. He saw Knock Out walking around cleaning, ran over, and scooped him up in his arms. The two giggled and Breakdown leaned down to plant a couple of kisses on Knock Out's helm.

"Hey, you're up! How ya feeling?" Breakdown inquired happily and he carried his partner to his berth.

Knock Out looked up at him and cocked up an optic ridge.

"Oh...well lets just get to berth and maybe tomorrow will be better."

The door slid shut silently behind them and the two lay down and spooned comfortably; Breakdown on the outside. Once the pair was comfortably settled, it didn't take long for the blue mech to get a dead arm.

"Hey, Knock Out...you asleep yet?"

When there was no answer, he took the slow, quiet, and congested hum of Knock Out's engines told him "yes" anyways.


End file.
